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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: wax · hide · rock · mate · staff · pitcher · vault · tube

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. mate — a partner
  5. staff — employees
  6. rock — a stone
  7. vault — a safe
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. rock — music
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. wax — to grow
  14. mate — a friend
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. mate — to breed
  17. staff — employees
  18. tube — a container
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. staff — a stick
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. tube — the underground
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. pitcher — a jug

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com